Background, copyright and credits

Perspective of this website

A trip to Mexico in 1995 triggered my fascination for the Aztecs.
It made me want to see the world throught the eyes of the pre-conquest Mexica. Since the calendar plays such a central role in Aztec culture, I used it as the anchor for further study. The desire to understand the Aztec perspective on the foundation of life and being has materialized in this website.

In creating this website I don't allow myself much artistic freedom. My intend is to stay as close as possible to the authentic truth. To be able to do so, I preferrably use academic sources. However, since Nahua culture did not end after the conquest, I carefully use sources based on the living tradition of the tonalpohualli.
Further, my aim is to present information in an accessible way.
Elaborating on ancient religious practices that inhabitants of planet earth in the 21th century tend to find gruesome, does not help
in getting the core of the message through.
That notion plays an important role in selecting the information I present on this site.

People who helped me creating this website

Over the years, many people have helped me in creating and improving this website. The following people deserve credit for their support, one way or the other. 'In order of appearance':

Ricardo J. Salvador and Victor Mendoza-Grado

Ricardo J. Salvador and Victor Mendoza-Grado supported me when I created the Aztec Calendar Hypercard program, the predecessor of this website.

William Horden

William Horden provided me a living reading of the tonalpohualli, based on contacts with Francisco Rodriguez Cortes, a current day Mexican calendrist from Chiapas. The texts on the qualities of the days and trecenas are written by William.

Rudolf van Zantwijk

Rudolf van Zantwijk was so kind to let me attend his courses in Nahuatl at the Utrecht University. Tlazocamati!

Marta Ramirez

As a modern day tlacuilo, Marta Ramirez supplied me with great hand painted daysign glyphs in the style of the Codex Borgia.

Rick Holmer

Rick Holmer, author of The Aztec Book of Destiny helped me with the correlation of the cycle of the Night Lords.

Ian Mursell

Ian Mursell, the director of Mexicolore granted me permission to use the daysign glyphs that Mexicolore had commissioned Felipe Dávalos to make for them. Felipe Dávalos is known for the work he has done for National Geographic Magazine and the illustrations he has done for many books on pre-Hispanic Mexico.
Mexicolore has a great site on Aztecs that is definitely worth a visit.